CFP: [20th] JFK and Literature&ndash;&ndash;3/31/2008

John F. Kennedy: History, Memory, and LegacyAn Interdisciplinary Conference at the University of North Dakota

Call for Papers

September 25 - 27, 2008Deadline for abstracts: March 31, 2008

President John F. Kennedy visited Grand Forks, North Dakota on September 25, 1963. He touredthe city, greeted its citizens, and spoke at the University of North Dakota, talking about issuesthat are still vital today. He spoke out for conserving natural resources and protecting theenvironment. He argued for economic development and addressed the struggle betweendemocracy and totalitarianism. He also emphasized the importance of education and publicservice. The University granted Kennedy an honorary Doctor of Laws degree. Tragically, lessthan two months later, the 35th President of the United States was assassinated in Dallas.

The University of North Dakota will be hosting an interdisciplinary conference relating to the lifeand times of John F. Kennedy from September 25 to 27, 2008, in Grand Forks, ND.

We invite proposals for papers that address issues of the "Kennedy years." Topic areas ofparticular interest for proposals would include, but not need to be limited to, the following:

Keynote speakers and scholarly panels will examine these topics through various academiclenses, including history, literature, political science, economics, film, philosophy, law, and thesciences. The conference anticipates publishing a volume of the proceedings.

The conference plans a series of evening plenary sessions, each of them addressed by a notablefigure. John F. Kennedy's speechwriter, Theodore Sorensen and U. S. District Court Judge John R.Tunheim, former Chair of the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Review Board, have bothaccepted an invitation to be a keynote speaker for the conference.

Please send abstracts of 200-250 words for individual papers or 800-1000 words for panelsessions to jfkconference_at_und.nodak.edu by March 31, 2008.

Proposals should be submitted by e-mail, with the proposal in the message text (do not sendattachments).